And just because his upcoming special is called “Running on Empty,” don't be fooled. The inexhaustibly angry, sputtering satirist/actor/author/playwright is nowhere near running out of steam — or hilarity.

Black returns to the Majestic Theatre (some might say the scene of the crime) on Friday. The show comes in the home stretch of a highly contested presidential campaign. For Black, 64, it's a perfect storm. Watch out!

When he was last in town in February 2011, Black was repeatedly interrupted by right-leaning hecklers when he broached provocative topics of abortion, guns and politics.

“Usually, they're not that drunk,” joked Black during a late August interview.

All joking aside, he did acknowledge that his last visit to S.A. (in front of about 1,500) was “really weird.”

After all, Black is not an unknown commodity and one might assume that an audience member who bought a ticket “and paid really good money” to see “The Daily Show,” HBO and Comedy Central star would want to hear what he has to say.

“People didn't come to see me play gladiator,” said Black, who jokes that he's a socialist who doesn't attend the meetings.

“It's so evenhanded. I'm so appalled by both sides. I don't get what it is that you're upset by if I talk about how I think your side stinks and the other side is a piece of (expletive), too.”

“By the time I get there, I should have it three-quarters of where I want it to be,” said Black. “I've been going at it for six months.”

The Obama-Romney race is the perfect framework for his show, says Black

“Yeah, this is where it really is. If you can't see the level of flaming stupidity that's going on around you at this point, then heaven help you,” he said. “For me, it's like the magnifying glass on the piece of paper. For me, it clarifies why both sides are stark raving mad.”

Black gathers his ammunition from newspapers (“Mostly from editorials because those guys seem to have a lot of time to do research,” he said) and the network evening news. “I've gone back to that,” he said because 24-hour news networks “are good for 22 minutes of news.”

He thrives at the intersection of politics, pop culture and comedy. That's a volatile war zone. “It's a matter of making people pay attention, Black said.